The California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program (CDPH/CTCP) is launching “Tobacco and Its Impact in My Community”, a photo contest to promote awareness of how the presence of tobacco is still a problem in our state. Their goal is to showcase images submitted by California students that “tell the story” about tobacco control issues significantly impacting youth and disadvantaged communities. These issues include exposure to secondhand smoke, cigarette butt litter, and tobacco marketing in the retail environment.

As a sponsor of the photo contest, the American Cancer Society, California Division (ACS) is providing $1,000 in cash prizes for the winning photo entries! CDPH/CTCP will announce the photo contest winners during the week of November 18, 2013, to coincide with ACS’ “Great American Smokeout” on November 21st.

Middle and high school-age students are highly recommended to enter because they represent an important age group to engage in anti-tobacco use activities and, in the past, have demonstrated strong participation in similar contests conducted by CDPH. CDPH/CTCP is proud to partner with the California Department of Education, Coordinated School Health and Safety Office, Tobacco-Use Prevention Education Program (TUPE) to promote the photo contest to middle and high schools throughout California. All photo submissions will be exhibited online (this may include the Fight Tobacco Facebook page, the TobaccoFreeCA Facebook page, as well as the CDPH and CTCP websites).

The Healthy Retailer Project is part of an effort to assess the availability and marketing of alcohol, tobacco, and food products in at least 10,000 stores across the state. Participants are trained to use an app on their smartphone device to administer the survey, which takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Youth volunteers from Teens Making A Change youth council, Terra Nova high school, and San Francisco State University helped conduct 174 surveys in Daly City, Pacifica, South San Francisco, and even SFO International Airport!

The Get Healthy Community Implementation Funding supports the implementation of the Strategies for Improving Food & Physical Activity Environments in San Mateo County and is focused on funding neighborhoods, organizations and schools where there are limited, attractive opportunities for walking, biking, or using public transit and/or healthy food options.
Click the image below to visit the Get Healthy San Mateo County website, where you can learn more about Get Healthy Community Implementation Funding, download an application packet, and to find ideas on projects to increase access to healthy food and beverages, increase everyday physical activity, and much more.

DFC Project Coordinator Athila Lambino and Other Substance Abuse (OSA) Organization rep Mary K. Bier joined classmates from coalitions in Nevada, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Montana, Texas, and North Carolina at the National Guard Museum in Dupont, WA once again for the third and final round of the National Coalition Academy, as led by CADCA trainers Dave Shavel and Teresa Bishop. The week-long training took place from 9/9 to 9/13, and focused on topics such as policy advocacy, and sustainability. All coalitions were assigned “homework,” which includes creating products such as a community assessment, logic model, strategic and action plans, evaluation plan, and sustainability plan by December 2013.

We’re excited about creating these products with our DFC coalition so that we can move a few steps closer to implementing our strategies for reducing the harm associated with substance use in South San Francisco!

To my coalition colleagues in WRCTC Cohort 6: It has been an incredible pleasure and privilege learning and working with all of you in these past 1-3 weeks. We share many of the same obstacles and challenges in both our professional and personal lives, and yet it is our passion for the work that we do that continues to drive us forward. I wish all of you the best of luck in working with your coalition in your community, and I’m eager to reconnect with all of you at the CADCA National Leadership Forum in February 2014 to share stories of our progress. Please stay in touch!Love, Peace, and Respect for the work you do.-Athila Lambino